Could you please develop on the "marginal freedoms" Singaporean gave up? I am interested in reading this.
And about western democracy, are we talking about electing people, who then after conduct policies we had never asked for?? Except for the form, what difference does it make with other non-democratic countries?? I just recall 2005, as the French voted against the EU constitution project; 3 years later, French President Sarkozy signed the Lisbon Treaty and allowed France to rejoin the NATO integrated command.